Article 1: Maps
Welcome to the first article of the The Combat Arms Improvement Project! For those of you who don’t know, this is a new series I am starting aimed at providing suggestions for criticized areas of the game. Each post will be dedicated to a specific ation explaining an issue and methods on how it can be improved. Please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions whether you agree with these changes or not. Combat Arms is still a good game amongst all the complaints and problems, but no game is perfect. Hopefully by providing better community input Nexon will notice and attempt to do the same for us. Part 1: Maps Since its release in 2008, Combat Arms has changed dramatically in all aspects. One of the biggest, and probably most dynamic, improvements we have seen over the years is the ever expanding map pool. The map pool on Combat Arms is huge to say the least. It does not matter how you choose to play because there will always be a map that fits your needs. On top of matching every player’s style, just about every map boasts its own unique look. From snow to deserts, jungles to cities, and warehouses to nuclear facilities; Combat Arms literally has it all. Unlike some person shooters, the spawn positions in Elimination and other game modes do not change. This can create as situation called spawn camping. Spawn camping occurs when one team, generally much more skilled than the other, is able to kill the opposing team before they have a chance to leave their spawn location. To counteract this imbalance, each newly spawned player is given a few seconds of invincibility, also known as the spawn shield. However, this bonus is not always enough. In several maps, the time it takes to exit the spawn is longer than the spawn shield lasts. On top of this, the only way to exit your spawn point on several maps is through one or two tight choke points. Once the spawn camping begins on these maps it is often very difficult and very frustrating to break. This is not a fun situation for any player to be in, and maps like these are generally avoided. Rattlesnake The first map I would like to balance I consider the most imbalanced map in the entire game: Rattlesnake. Rattlesnake is a great looking map with some key design flaws. This map tends to be infamous for Bravo side domination, however, both sides are fully capable of spawn camping each other for the entire match. Bravo side has the same problems other maps do, but Alpha side can be a complete disaster at times. The only way players can exit Bravo spawn is through a large doorway (1). Once Alpha sneaks in from the garage door below or camps the box room on the right, Bravo side becomes stuck. The simplest way to fix this problem would be to open up the Bravo spawn point. Instead of having only one exit, a second exit points needs added in the same area as the current one. Move the current opening right a few meters (2), and place the second one closer to the left wall (4). In order to provide room for the second exit, the spawn space itself needs to be expanded (3). While a second doorway would be beneficial, I still do not believe that is enough. The spawn itself needs a set of stairs leading down to ground level (5). They will begin around this point and head downwards through the building adjacent to point five. The exit point will be an open doorway facing south on ground level (6). All these fixes together should provide Bravo with enough options to prevent severe spawn camping without giving them any shortcuts to other points on the map. Alpha side on Rattlesnake is definitely one of the most imbalanced sides in the entire game. Not only is the spawn on lower ground, but there are only two very tight exit points, both of which can be easily covered by the enemy. The entirety of Alpha spawn needs to be raised to the same level as the open field in the map (1). Since everything is ground level, access to the building and stairs will be added in the back (2). The base level of the building should be doubled in size to provide additional cover and exit points (3). The new addition will look exactly like the current building flipped 180 degrees on its left side except with a flatter roof, no tower, and a window on the front instead of the side. The western mountain should be widened as well to make room for this new structure (4). To make the spawn less vulnerable to rushes and grenades its linear shape should be changed. The right corner of the spawn can be removed or at least blocked off so no player can spawn or access that area (5). To widen it, the fenced off area in the back of the base should be opened (6). The current size is not large enough so it should be at least double in size so players have more room to move. This location will still be on higher ground even after the entire spawn has been leveled out. Short Fuse The second map, but certainly much more balanced map, I would like to cover is Short Fuse. Short Fuse is one of my favorite maps, and I consider it very well designed all around. The main problem most players have with this map is the Alpha side choke point. Like Bravo on Rattlesnake, Alpha has only one exit point which can be camped without too much difficulty. While it may not be game breaking, Short Fuse is not a very popular map anymore, and my guess is because of this imbalance. One of the key components to fixin g any spawn camping situation is to increase the number of available routes players can travel. To make room for extra exits, the choke point in front of the spawn needs widened. The stone walls and fencing on both sides should be moved several meters back (1). The primary change that should limit spawn camping is to give the building sitting idle by the spawn a purpose (2). I propose that this building be moved to the center of the newly expanded exit creating two mid-sized paths instead of one (3). I would also like to make this building accessible. A door should be added in the rear of the building giving players the ability to use it for defensive positioning. Open windows will appear on three sides (not the back) for better visibility. A ladder should be added in the rear of the building as well to access the roof. The roof should provide minimal cover, but will act as a third route of escape in any situation. To accompany these new changes, the yellow barrier signs blocking the east side of the spawn can be moved right a few meters (4). This serves no balancing purpose, but the new spawn design would make the current setup feel a little out of place. Some unbreakable boxes can be added in the spawn as well for extra cover during tight situations (5). Brushwood The third and final map I plan on covering for this article is Brushwood. Brushwood is in the exact same situation as Short Fuse is. There are limited exits from the spawn which can be camped by the opposing side. The only reason this happens is because of the crashed plane Bravo side has easy access to. The best fix is to provide Alpha a path to flank plane campers. I would like to make the cliff on the mountain North-West of the plane more accessible to Alpha players. My solution is simple and involved th ree basic changes. To make space for another tunnel the spawn area need widened (1). It does not have to be doubled in size, but a little larger would do nicely. Next, a tunnel just inside the mountain leading to the cliff ledge needs added (2). This tunnel will have the same wooden structures throughout as the other two too, but in addition there will be a portion of the mountain that players can both shoot in and out of. This hole could be a potential spot for picking off plane campers without being exposed. The exit to this tunnel will be at the top of the cliff (3). Players here can easily pick off enemies on the plane before they are spotted. This gives players the choice to immediately jump down and counter attack Bravo or to head down and defend their base. What's Good? Nexon has done a good job releasing a large variety of maps for everyone. After all, their primary marketing campaign has been bragging how many guns, game modes, and maps are in the game. With some of the newer maps, we have seen new features that did not previously exist. Overdose and Sector 25 brought the light switch feature while Dredge brought new destructible walls. Though lighting may be a simple and near useless feature, it all adds to the overall feel of the map because the less repetitive a map feels then the more likely players are to have fun. I look forward to seeing more maps in the future that include new features to improve the Combat Arms gaming experience. TL;DR *Give Bravo side on Rattlesnake two new exits from the spawn. *Raise Alpha spawn on Rattlesnake to remove low ground disadvantage and expand the tower base for additional cover and exits. *Provide Alpha side on Short Fuse with additional cover and another exit. *Add another exit from Alpha spawn on Brushwood to counter plane campers. That is all for article one article one, I hope you enjoyed it! I encourage everyone to leave feedback on this thread as well as through YouTube. As you can see other community members have already contributed to this project, and I am extremely grateful for their help. Thanks! If you have a particular idea or skill you feel could be useful then don't be shy, let me know. Any ideas you may have are also very important so please share them. If you enjoyed reading this article, then I guarantee you will enjoy what is to come. I will be covering the most debated topics such as Elite Moderators, Sniping, and Specialists, as well as many others! Stay tuned each Thursday for the latest article. As an added bonus, I have some special in-game events planned in the future as a part of my goal to help improve the community. Details will be given out at a later time. The teaser for next week's article is: Well this isn't fair. Thanks for reading! Media Category:Game Improvements